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This 1987 Ferrari F40 LM is for the millionaire who dares to be different

Thu, Jan 31 2019

Throughout the past decade, the Ferrari F40 has become one of the most highly regarded and highly coveted supercars ever built. When cars become so iconic, any red model no longer excites. It's the specialty models, such as this stunning light blue Le Mans example, that catch the real attention at an auction house. This 1987 Ferrari F40 LM is expected to go for up to perhaps $6,280,000 at the upcoming RM Sotheby's in Paris on February 6 during Retromobile week. According to RM Sotheby's, the Pilot exterior livery makes this one of the most recognizable F40 LMs ever built, although that pool is extremely small. Only 19 F40s were ever created by Michelotto to LM or Competizione spec. Chassis No. ZFFGJ34B000074045 is reported to be only the third F40, not just of LM F40s, of all F40s built. It was a pre-production prototype, and the car's insane history doesn't stop there. It also participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995 and 1996, yet finished only 12th in 1995 (it did win the 1995 Anderstorp 4 Hours). That's shocking considering the engineering and power this car is known for. In Michelotto LM spec, the twin-turbocharged V8 was uprated to more than 700 horsepower using enlarged turbochargers, bigger intercoolers, and a better Weber-Marelli fuel injection system. Using tech learned from the Group B 288 GTO Evoluzione development, it also had a stiffer chassis, an upgraded transmission, better brakes, and altered exterior aero equipment. Rated at about 2,350 pounds, it was one of the fastest cars on the planet at the time. Wherever this car goes, we hope the owner takes advantage of its eligibility for numerous racing events. Several other Ferraris will also roll across the auction stage, including a 1996 F50, a 1966 275 GTB/6C Alloy Berlinetta, a 2011 SP30, a 599 SA Aperta, a 2003 Enzo, and a 2006 Superamerica. Outside the Ferraris, the 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport is catching our eye. Featured Video:

Lamborghini caps 2020 production at 8,000 to preserve cachet, resale values

Mon, Jan 28 2019

Lamborghini chairman and CEO Stefano Domenicali told Car Advice that the Sant'Agata Bolognese automaker will cap production at 8,000 cars in 2020. Even though the cap doesn't take effect for a year, it has caught us by surprise — we didn't realize just how well Lamborghini is doing. In 2010, Lamborghini sold 1,302 cars worldwide, while its rival in Modena sold 6,461 units. Last year, Lamborghini broke all of its records on the way to a 51 percent sales increase and 5,750 cars delivered. The cap maintains two post-sale hallmarks required to fuel Lamborghini's new-car sales: exclusivity and resale values. Ferrari has led the way with public declarations of voluntary caps to maintain brand cachet, and Lamborghini's happy to shadow that leader. Domenicali, an ex-Ferrari man, didn't miss an opportunity to put the running bull's nose ahead of the prancing horse's in his comments, though. He told the Australian publication, "I can also say that for us, Ferrari has always been a reference ... as well as others in the super sports car segment, but we have already achieved higher residual values for our cars, especially with some of our older models." The boss marked out half the 2020 allotment for the Urus, two-thirds of the remainder for the Huracan, and the rest for the Aventador. We expect any 2020 cap to apply only to 2020, though. If Lamborghini can hustle a 40 percent increase in deliveries this year — 2,300 more units, and that's not outside the realm of possibility since this is the first full year of Urus sales — then in 2019 the carmaker will exceed the 2020 cap by 50 units. In such case, shrinking supply next year would help sustain the lather of acolytes, as well as copy another page from Ferrari's handbook. In 2013, then-Ferrari CEO Luca Montezemolo held production to under 7,000 units, after building 7,318 cars in 2012. In 2014, then-Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne said he'd stick to the "willful and intended" 7,000-unit cap. But when Ferrari announces its 2018 results soon, we expect uncapped shipments to exceed 9,000 units. Other upward pressures on Lamborghini's sales would be the success of the Huracan GT3 EVO, which won the GTD class in the weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona, a year after the Huracan GT3 won in 2018. Lamborghini Squadra Corse has built more than 200 customer racers, and no one would rule out a few more orders phoned in on Monday.

Here's how wildly expensive it is to participate in F1

Wed, Jan 23 2019

The cost of competing in Formula One racing is extremely high. Not in the physical and lifestyle sense, although that too takes a major toll on each team and driver, but in a literal hand-over-the-cash sense. Each F1 team pays hundreds of thousands of dollars to enter, plus a fee for every single point the team earned in the previous season. Motorsport.com recently detailed just how absurdly pricey entering the F1 field is. According to the piece, the price of entry goes up each year due to the U.S. Consumer Price Index. For 2019, the entry fee is $546,133, and it doesn't stop there. There are additional dues required of each team based on where the team finished in the previous season. Interestingly, the winners pay more. For example, Mercedes-Benz, the constructor champion for the past five years, must pay $6,553 per point it scored in 2018. With 655 points scored, that's $4,292,215. All other teams must pay $5,459 per point. For a full rundown of what the teams will be paying for 2019, check out the full article here.Related Video:

Novitec shows off its version of the Ferrari 812 Superfast

Tue, Jan 22 2019

It's hard to imagine improving upon the unbelievable Ferrari 812 Superfast, but Novitec now offers a way to do just that. Performance upgrades to the 789 horsepower 6.5-liter V12 are scheduled to come later, but there's no shortage of things you can tack on now. To begin, Novitec developed an aero package using carbon fiber. Developed in a wind tunnel, Novitec claims its package reduces front-axle lift after fitment of the front spoiler lip and surround for the center air intake. Carbon fiber rocker panels, a rear spoiler lip and carbon fiber rear fascia are all fitted to complete the carbon aero look. Novitec offers a lowering spring package that takes it down 1.37 inches, but improved dampers are not paired with. Since it's lowered, a lift kit can be installed, which can raise the front end by 1.57 inches with the press of a button. You'll be wanting this to save the very expensive carbon front lip we mentioned earlier. Larger wheels are added with a staggered 21-inch-front and 22-inch-rear setup. Novitec goes to the trouble of using a separate dye for each wheel so the shape of the spokes are tailored to the specific corner of the car the wheel goes on. This is cool because not only do you get a minute gain in brake cooling, but you also get to brag about your wild wheel setup. A couple different exhausts are available to make the 812 Superfast even louder than it already is. The one you'll want is made of Inconel, which is the same stuff used in Formula 1. This exhaust saves just over 24 pounds over the stock Ferrari exhaust system. A version with controlled exhaust flaps is possible, as well. We wish we could tell you how much a Novitec 812 Superfast costs with everything on it, but prices aren't available for it yet. Needless to say, Novitec knows it's pricing them for Ferrari owners, so you can bet everything will be expensive. A base 812 Superfast goes for about $335,000, but we imagine there aren't many of those in the world. Related video:

Wingsuits are somehow involved in new season of 'Top Gear'

Mon, Jan 14 2019

It's a shame that Matt LeBlanc is leaving "Top Gear," but there's a bit of solace in the situation: There's still one more season of him as frontman. BBC just released the new trailer for series 26, and it shows LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid getting into all sorts of shenanigans around the globe. "Top Gear" announced LeBlanc's imminent departure back in May 2018, but he still had to finish one more season before leaving. Thus, the upcoming series will be his last, and it looks like he'll go out in a whirlwind of dust, bent metal, water spray and burnt rubber. The trailer shows everything expected from a season of the storied automotive show (well, everything except Hammond, May, and Clarkson, if you're one of those people). There will be precision driving, dubious stunts, name-calling and gobs of stunning videography. In the short one-minute clip, there are flashes of numerous attention-piquing vehicles. The new Bentley Continental GT, a Bentley Le Mans racer, Porsches, Ferraris, the Aston Martin Vantage, and the Mercedes-AMG GT all make appearances. And for some random fun, the boys are seen in wingsuits (doubtful it's actually them), and playing polo in some three-wheel rickshaws (before wrecking said rickshaws). We'll update with more information as soon as we know when the show will start. Related Video: News Source: BBC Celebrities TV/Movies Aston Martin Bentley Ferrari Mercedes-Benz Porsche Videos Top Gear chris harris matt leblanc rory reid

Florida aquaman drives a Ferrari straight into the drink

Fri, Jan 4 2019

Often the worst and most annoying part of security footage is that there is no sound to the video. Viewers are left to their own imaginations as people on camera are seen doing strange or dumb things. A recent video from Florida has us wishing a police officer would have been mic'd up for a conversation he had moments before a person got into a Ferrari and drove it right into a body of water. Reported by WPTV and blogged by Car Throttle, the dash camera on a police car caught 48-year-old James Mucciaccio Jr. doing something that makes absolutely zero sense (before the Florida bath salts jokes come out, neither drugs nor alcohol were involved). The morning of Dec. 26, a police officer got out of his cruiser and approached a blue Ferrari 360 that was parked on a gated dock on the Palm Beach Inlet just off of the Atlantic Ocean. Based on the soundless video, it appears Mucciaccio and the officer had a civil conversation likely suggesting that the car couldn't be parked there. Mucciaccio then hustled to get into the car and looked to be backing out of the dock. But before he passed the gate, he stopped, then switched out of reverse as evidenced by the blinking lights on the car. He then gunned it and drove the Ferrari straight off the dock and into the water. Considering the interaction seemed to be completely calm, it's mind-boggling trying to imagine what Mucciaccio was thinking, if it was indeed on purpose. And no, there is no word yet as to why exactly he did what he did. According to the report, Mucciaccio was not injured and was rescued by a friendly observer. After the Ferrari sank 30 feet to the bottom, it was pulled out using inflatables. For more photos of the crashed Ferrari both above and below water, check out images from the Code 3 Divers here. Surprisingly, this is not the first time Code 3 has pulled a Ferrari out of the water. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Museo Ferrari launches 'Michael 50' exhibit honoring Schumacher

Fri, Jan 4 2019

Michael Schumacher turned 50 years old on Thursday, January 3, 2019. To celebrate the racing legend and to show appreciation for all he has done for the brand, Museo Ferrari opened an exhibition that explores his impact and accomplishments throughout his personal life and racing career. Named " Michael 50," the exhibit is now open in Maranello. This is the third showcase to open in recent months, following the announcement of "Driven by Enzo" and "Passion and Legend," which opened in September 2018 to honor the 120th anniversary of the founder of Ferrari. The Prancing Horse company calls Schumacher "The Most Successful Ferrarista in History," and the exhibition focuses on his many victories. The driver raced his way to seven world titles, 91 first-place finishes, and 155 podiums. Ferrari is displaying many of the cars Schumacher raced in, including the 1996 F310, the 1999 F399, the F1-2000, F2002, F2004, and the 2006 248 F1. In addition to race cars, the display also highlights some of the road cars that Schumacher worked on as a developer after he left Formula One. Using his knowledge and experience, he helped shape the dynamics of the 2007 430 Scuderia and the 2008 California. "Michael 50" was created with the help of the Keep Fighting Foundation, which recently launched an app that has a virtual museum and celebrates Michael and his legacy. According to a recent report, Schumacher is currently "in the very best of hands" and continues to battle back from his injuries. Ferrari did not give a specific time period for the exhibition, but mentioned it will be open for a "few months." Fans can buy tickets here.Related Video:

2019 Tokyo Auto Salon features one of the coolest auctions we've seen

Thu, Jan 3 2019

In just over a week, the Tokyo Auto Salon will host one of the coolest auctions we've seen in years. Jalopnik spotted BH Auction's listings, and it's a cornucopia of hot machinery you won't typically find at American auctions like Gooding & Company or Barrett Jackson. While Japanese cars make up most of the listings, Ferrari, Porsche, BMW and even Dodge all have at least one car going up for auction. We won't include everything here, but you can check out the full list on BH Auction's website. There are 50 lots at the auction, including nine Nissan Skylines, nine Ferraris and two Porsche Carrera GTs. Some of our other favorites include a Honda S800 coupe, a Toyota Miniace truck, a Mitsubishi Willys Jeep and a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL gullwing with the V8 from a W124 Mercedes-Benz E60 AMG that's estimated to sell for between $1.25 million and $1.5 million. Related Video: News Source: BH Auction via Jalopnik Audi Dodge Ferrari Honda Mitsubishi Nissan Porsche Toyota Auctions Autoblog Minute nissan skyline mercedes-benz 300 sl

Michael Schumacher's 50th birthday marked by celebrations, privacy

Thu, Jan 3 2019

Against the backdrop of celebrations marking Michael Schumacher's 50th birthday on Thursday, the medical condition of Formula One's most successful driver remains just as fiercely guarded by his close family. More than five years after a near-fatal brain injury in a skiing accident, the seven-time F1 champion continues to be cared for in total secrecy at home in the quiet Swiss town of Gland on the shores of Lake Geneva. He has been there since being transferred from a hospital in September 2014. "You can be sure that he is in the very best of hands and that we are doing everything humanly possible to help him," Schumacher's family said in a rare statement Wednesday. "Please understand if we are following Michael's wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy." It was while skiing with his teenage son Mick in the French Alps at Meribel that Schumacher fell on Dec. 29, 2013. He hit the right side of his head on a rock, splitting open his helmet. Doctors at Grenoble hospital removed blood clots, but others were left untouched because they were too deeply embedded in his brain. With unsourced stories abounding, updates on his condition went from scarce to non-existent as his family closed ranks around him . But the family understands the level of devotion toward Schumacher from his legions of fans. Coinciding with his birthday, the family is releasing the Official Michael Schumacher App offering a virtual museum tour of his greatest achievements. "The app is another milestone in our effort to do justice to him and you, his fans, by celebrating his accomplishments," the statement said. Seven titles Many of those accomplishments were with Ferrari, where the German driving ace won five of his seven F1 titles, in 2000 through 2004. (He won with Benetton in 1994 and 1995.) Ferrari is honoring his 50th with a special museum exhibition of his achievements at its Maranello headquarters in northern Italy. His stature is Ferrari folklore is immense, while his impact on F1 is unparalleled with perhaps the exception of the late Brazilian great Ayrton Senna. Schumacher's winners' aura was perhaps unfairly viewed from the outside as cold and distant, when in essence he was incredibly appreciative of those he worked closely with. In 2000, he delivered Ferrari from years of frustration with a first world title since Jody Scheckter in 1979.

1964 Ferrari 275 GTB prototype raced in the Monte Carlo Rally, now going to auction

Fri, Dec 28 2018

It could sell for as much as $8 million